Shattered Peace
by Lady Amiee
Summary: When Cerberus hit Eden Prime, Kira must find her way to the Resistance. Written for the June competition on Aria's Afterlife.


**Written to Dead: Max Payne 3.**

**Written for Aria's Afterlife June Competition: First person shooter. I went with the Eden Prime Cerberus take over mission. **

**This is a new writing style for me, as I've never been a big combat writer, and I hope it worked out alright. Enjoy, and please read and review! **

**Thanks for my beta readers, PalavenBlues, and CuHnadian!**

* * *

I covered my ears with my hands and curled into a ball as gunfire shattered the air.

_Hiding like a coward._

I peeked out, my eye close to the small crack of the cupboard doors. My family lay dead, scattered around me like marionette dolls, their strings cut, their bodies limp. Blood pooled, a metallic scent to the air, and bile rose in my throat, threatening to choke me. Gunfire and screams echoed around me, forcing my head closer to my knees.

A shaky breath left me, trembling through my cold lips.

_Nothing but bodies_. _Mom _… _Dad _… _Emma. I'm so sorry. _

I looked at them, tears falling from my eyes. My mother covered my three-month old sister, holding her to her chest, trying to protect her. Emma lay snuggled against her, almost peaceful, but the growing stain of red on her onesie turned the gentle embrace into something twisted. The hole in my mother's head drew my gaze. Dead. All dead.

There wasn't time for them to hide.

"Clear the area!"

The gunfire halted, and footsteps came closer, stalking me. Shadows of tall, armored men holding guns close to their bodies flickered over the walls behind me, and I wriggled further into the cupboard, my slender figure being a blessing for once.

I held my breath, covering my mouth to muffle the sob that slipped by without permission. A hiccup followed, and the figures in my kitchen froze, guns sweeping around. They made complicated signs with their hands, gesturing to one another, before splitting up.

My fingers trembled as they swept the cupboard under the sink, searching for something I could use as a weapon. Anything would do. I didn't want to die. I hiccupped again and the figure outside stopped, inches away from me. I could almost feel the heat coming from his gun as it turned, facing the cupboard.

Something cold touched my fingers as his hand reached out to the door. I shrunk back, my heart throbbing in my chest, and looked down. _Dad's gun._ I flicked off the safety—the sound too loud in the silence—just like dad taught me. The dim cupboard flooded with light as the doors were flung open, and I raised the gun, squeezing the trigger, over and over.

The soldier in white flew back, raising his own weapon, but I kept shooting, crying out as my wrist burned, feeling like the bones were breaking against the recoil. I fired again, not knowing how many rounds I had, but I didn't need any more.

He fell to the floor, and I tried to get to my feet. Stumbling, I grabbed his gun, my breaths coming in sharp, hard bursts. My long, auburn hair swung across my face, blurring my vision as I looked left, then right. Someone had to have heard the gunfire. They would come to investigate. Bile rose in my throat, but I refused to let it come up, refused to pause long enough to be sick.

_Move, Kira. Get to the hills. They can't find you there. _

I looked down at the bodies of my family, choking back a sob, before turning away. My bare feet screamed in protest as broken glass pierced the skin, but I didn't stop. I moved faster, hearing shouts behind me as I darted out of my house and onto the street. Sweat covered me, dripping into my eyes, but I didn't blink. Couldn't look away.

_Oh, God. _

Dead people lay everywhere, from the old ladies I gardened for, to little kids I babysat on weekends. No one lived. I was the only one left. Holding the guns in my hands, the foreign weight feeling cumbersome and unwieldy, I ducked left, heading around the back of our building. If I could get to the ridge, I could escape. I had to escape. Someone needed to know what was happening. Someone had to help me.

I paused, listening to the pounding of boots around me, before rolling beneath the ledge under the window. Shuffling my body into the gap under the building, I waited, counting my heartbeats, listening to them come closer. Willing myself to be invisible, I closed my eyes, ignoring the gun poking my hip.

Time seemed to stretch, seconds becoming hours. I had nothing but my heartbeat to count, and the drumming steadied me. Booted feet, splashed by the blood of my family and friends passed me, dragging a body of a small boy. His sightless gaze met mine, and I turned away, fighting the vomit rising in my throat.

I watched the boy being thrown onto a pile with several others, old and young, all cast aside like broken dolls. My stomach heaved, making me curl up slightly to ease the pain. I wanted to cover my eyes as his head flopped, limp, bumping over the ground. I didn't. I couldn't move.

_This isn't a take over, it's a slaughter. I need to get out of here. _

The thought spurred me on, woke me from my horror-filled haze, and I belly-crawled under the building, sliding through the filth. Nose wrinkling against the stench of rotten vegetables, I noticed the compost heap, knowing I was getting close to the edge of the building. From there, I'd have to make a mad dash to the next, and would be exposed … vulnerable.

I wriggled and shifted through the small space, before coming out at the flowerbeds behind the building, I paused. My heart almost stopped as I saw the silhouette of a guard, casting shadows against the sunrise. Biting my lip to stem the whimper, I raised the rifle, hoping I wouldn't have to shoot him. I'd already drawn attention to the fact someone was alive and fighting. I had to keep going, but I froze, unable to move. Trapped in the open, my dark clothing gave no camouflage to hide me against the white of the house.

Pulse roaring in my eyes, I struggled to keep my hand steady on the gun. He raised his hand to his ear, and my finger stroked the trigger.

_Please _…. _Turn away _….

My breath rushed from me as he began to run in the opposite direction to me, and I let my trembling arms drop, the gun hitting my thigh. Not waiting for him to come back, I took off, bolting out at full speed. I knew the area like the back of my hand, I could do this, I could escape.

_Get to the ridge._

_Get help. _

Those two thoughts, two objectives pushed me faster. It felt so far, the distance stretching, and my feet burned with each step. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing a trail of bloody footprints. There wasn't time to stop. Gunfire erupted, spraying the ground around my feet, and I zigzagged, flitting from one side to the other, curling around the gun to make myself small.

If I stopped to shoot back, I'd die.

The path in front of me curved to the left, and I knew I could climb the ladder that ran up the side of my neighbors house. My right shoulder jerked forward, and fire raced up my arm. I bit back a choked scream, desperately wanting to clutch my arm. I faltered, staggering as the pain created a haze of red over my vision. Agony and fear warred inside me, battling to make me stop and curl into the fetal position, to beg for a painless death, or to keep running, to survive.

The latter won, and the throbbing of my arm dimmed. The constant barrage of gunfire hounded me, and shouts echoed, coming from all directions as they were bounced off the walls. I panted, my ragged breathing adding to the cacophony. I slung the strap of the weapon over my shoulder, throwing myself up the ladder as soon as I turned the corner.

I prayed silently as I climbed, my arms shaking and the gun bashing my spine. I prayed they'd think I'd kept running, that I didn't take the chance of getting to higher ground. Dad had always told me to find higher ground. No matter what, I had to go over the buildings.

I heard their boots pounding, and hoped they didn't notice the blood on the rusty ladder. I threw myself flat, the wind knocked from my lungs as I rolled, coming to a stop behind one of the air conditioners. When no shouts came, I looked down at my torn-up feet. My fingers trembled as I dug the worst if it out.

I tore my shirt, my bloody fingers slipping several times. Wrapping my feet in the strips, I moved to a crouching position, trying to stay low so I wouldn't be seen. I couldn't even bring myself to touch the wound on my arm. I wasn't that brave. I knew I'd scream if I even tried to wrap it.

My hair tangled around me, and I flicked it away as I looked around the roof, mapping the best way to the opposite side. These rooftops were my playground, I knew them better than anyone. I just had to calm down and think. Taking precious seconds to breathe, I almost coughed as a blast of wind sent smoke into my face.

Sick, rancid air filled my lung, coating my mouth with the taste of burning meat, and hair all mixed with blood. I gagged, unable to hold back the waves of sickness that spilled from me, splattering the ground in thick, wet chunks. Acid burned my throat, and I crawled away on my hands and knees, desperate for clean air.

I raised my head, eyes burning and leaking. In the distance, a huge pile of bodies, covered in hungry flames drew my eyes through the smoke. Faces I knew melted under the heat, and I turned away, unable to look.

_I'm inhaling people. Oh, God, they're burning the bodies. _Tears leaked down my face, mingling with the ash in the air. Scrubbing my eyes, I groaned in pain as my arm stretched and pulled. _I can't do this. _Sickness once again crippled me, stopping me from moving as my stomach rippled and heaved. Nothing came out. Spit dripped from my chin, and I crawled again, my right arm giving out until I cradled it to my stomach.

Each inch felt like crawling over flame, and sweat coated my body. I needed clean air, I couldn't breathe. Harsh, desperate gasps ripped through my throat, and I kept gagging on them, inhaling only when I couldn't hold my breath any longer.

I dragged myself free of the plume of black smoke, leaning heavily against the lip of the building. I still had to climb down and get around the edge of the houses. Weakness shook me, and I doubted myself, doubted I had the strength.

Closing my eyes, I pictured my mother, father, and sister, seeing their faces, cold in death. I almost wished I was with them, lying in my mothers arms with my sister, instead of holding a gun I didn't know how to use, and facing an army of soldiers on my own. I wished my father was with me. He'd know what to do. He always did.

_Keep moving, Kira-girl. _I could almost hear his voice in my head, his deep, bear-like growl pushing the fear behind a door in my mind. _Get up, get out, and get help. Don't slow down. You're dead if you slow down._

I took a quick gulp of clean air, before moving to the ladder closest to me. It wasn't the most ideal escape rout, but it was the only one I had the strength to reach. I turned backwards, keeping my damaged arm close to my body, trying desperately not to jar it, and began to climb down the ladder.

Taking my time, trying to be silent, I felt my toes reach the dusty ground below me. I let go of the hold on the ladder and dropped to a crouch. Looking around, I breathed slowly, refusing to look at the burning column of smoke and flame.

It wasn't far now. Just a little further, and I'd be able to reach the ridge. From there, I could drop down into the woods, and head to the military base my dad worked at. _There will be solders there, right? They know how to fight, they'd have it defended for refugees? _I took one last look around, before focusing on the ridge in the distance. The last run, and I'd be free.

Like a rabbit from a hole, I bolted, ignoring the screaming of my arm, the wailing of my feet. I didn't have time for pain. I knew it was there, hammering at me, but the flight instinct built up, higher and higher, drowning everything but my pulse out.

_Thum-thump. _

I almost tripped, dipping my body down to the side, hand pushing off the floor to keep myself going.

_Thum-thump. _

My pulse jackhammered, my heart feeling as if it exploded from my chest as the dawn sun crested the ridge ahead.

_Thum-thump._

My chest exploded with a thousand shards of pain, and my breath burst from me like a butterfly taking flight. Head back, hands flung to my sides, I began to fall..

_Thum-thump. _

Eden Prime spread out before me. Rolling hills, vistas so perfect, even artists couldn't recreate the stunning beauty, and yet, I didn't see it. All I could look at was the spreading bloom of blood across my shirt

_Thum-thump. _

My body jerked again, and a second turned to a life time as my body screamed, raging against the injustice of it all. _I was so close. _I hit the ground below the drop off, feeling my bones break, my jaw snap, and teeth dig into my gums as rocks and stones hit me.

_Thump-thump. _

Drifting to a stop, almost gracefully, I tried to open my eyes. I wanted to see the sun. All I could see was my hand, a finger torn away, the others bent and misshapen, lying on the dirt in front of me. It didn't hurt. Nothing hurt. Numb, I lay there, hearing the last of my breath hiss from my body. It sounded so distant, so far away, as if I watched it from another room, heard it through a call. _I don't want to die_. I let my eyes drift closed.

_Thum-thu_—


End file.
